On The Terracing

Sunday, 17 August 2014

History was made at Tynecastle this
afternoon. Given the amount of times there is an Edinburgh derby these days you
may question that statement. However, this afternoon saw the first ever
Hearts-Hibs fixture to be played in the second flight of Scottish league
football.

After
the fall out of relegation for both capital clubs, this summer has seen major
changes at Tynecastle and Easter Road. Both clubs now have new managers, a
sprinkling of new players and there is now a powerful and successful woman at
the helm of both Edinburgh clubs.

It
was with this in mind that a full house packed Tynecastle Stadium for the first
of at least four Edinburgh derbies this season. Hearts had something of a
pre-match goalkeeping crisis with first choice keeper Neil Alexander ruled out
for a month after fracturing his cheekbone in last week’s victory over Rangers
at Ibrox and his understudy Scott Gallacher also being ruled out with an ankle
injury. It was left to 20-year-old Jack Hamilton, whose loan to Stenhousemuir
had to be curtailed due to the goalkeeping crisis, to make his competitive first-team
debut for Hearts.

It
may have been a Sunday lunch-time kick-off but it was a typically fervent
Edinburgh derby atmosphere at Tynecastle. Hibs supporters, despite their
agonies of last season, nearly filled the Roseburn Stand and gave their team tremendous
backing. The Hearts support responded in kind and the unfurling of a banner in
the old main stand which red ‘Tick Tock Who’s Laughing Now’ was an obvious
reference to those Hibs supporters who took great demise in their city rivals
sinking into administration just over a year ago.

The
first half, it has to be said, was as far-removed from some of the free-flowing
football on display at the World Cup in Brazil this summer as was possible. The
midfield became a battleground with a stream of fouls and misplaced passes and
one yearned for a playmaker to put their foot on the ball and calm things down.
Sadly, this didn’t happen.

There
were few highlights of that opening 45 minutes. Michael Nelson headed just over
for the visitors while Hearts Jason Holt delivered an inviting cross into the
Hibs penalty box – unfortunately, no one was willing to accept the invitation.

There
was plenty of effort and determination from both sides but with half an hour
gone neither goalkeeper had been called to make a save of any note. Then came
the game’s first real chance.

Hibs
Daniel Handling raced into the Hearts penalty box with Hearts keeper Jack
Hamilton racing to meet him. The Gorgie youngster brought him down and referee
Willie Collum immediately pointed to the penalty spot. The Hearts players and
fans alike were aghast when the official reached for a card but, thankfully for
the home side, it was just a yellow and the goalkeeper remained on the pitch.
Hibs’ Liam Craig stepped up to take the penalty kick but his effort went wide to
the delight of the goading home support in the Gorgie Stand.

Eight minutes before the interval, Hearts Sam Nicholson
volleyed a first-time effort which forced Hibs goalkeeper Mark Oxley into a
fine save. Following his remarkable goal against Livingston at Easter Road last
weekend, Oxley was being suitably encouraged by the Hibs fans in the Roseburn
Stand behind his goal to shoot at every opportunity…

The only other chance of a hugely disappointing first
half was right on the stroke of half-time when Hearts young defender Jordan
McGhee fired in an effort from 25 yards which whistled past the post.
Half-time: Hearts 0 Hibs 0

Those supporters hoping Messrs Neilson and Stubbs might
have offered few words of encouragement to their players to actually play
football which was pleasing on the eye were somewhat disappointed when the
second half quickly began to mirror the first – Hearts Jason Holt was fouled
within six seconds of the re-start. Although the game was end-to-end there
seemed little danger of the goal nets actually making contact with the ball –
until the 76th minute and a most welcome display of skill and
finishing.

Hearts Sam Nicholson evaded a weak challenge before
striding forward and unleashing a superb shot from 25 yards which flew into the
net past a startled Oxley to give the home side the lead. Tynecastle erupted in
a cacophony of noise from the home support as another derby win beckoned.

Just four minutes later, Hearts doubled their lead. Hibs
Scott Robertson pulled down Prince Buaben in the penalty box and Buaben himself
made no mistake with the penalty, shooting high into the net. Robertson was
shown a yellow card which, being his second of the game, meant it was an early
bath for the Hibs midfielder. And an early exit for hundreds of Hibs supporters
who had seen enough and decided to head for home (or the pub to drown their
sorrows)

However, Hearts never do things easily. Against ten men
and with a two goal advantage, you might have expected the Maroons to
comfortably see out the game. Not a bit of it. Hibs striker El Alagui almost
pulled a goal back but his effort was brilliantly saved by young Hamilton in the
Hearts goal.

Moments later, Hearts were also reduced to ten men when
striker Osman Sow was shown a red card for extensive use of his elbow. Having
been thwarted minutes earlier, El Alagui did score for the visitors following a
mistake from Hearts skipper Danny Wilson, the Hibs man heading past Hamilton.

Hearts were then content to play out the four minutes of
stoppage time and when referee Collum did eventually blow his whistle there was
much relief from the home support.

After the game, Hearts Head Coach Robbie Neilson was
quick to praise youngster Jack Hamilton.

"I had no issues about bringing Jack
in. I worked with him last year," said the former youth coach. "He
could have been man of the match today. It was an intense atmosphere. He
handled it like a seasoned pro."

Not the greatest Edinburgh derby you’ll ever see but
Hearts won’t be complaining too much as they celebrate yet another victory over
their rivals.

Saturday, 16 August 2014

It’s surely fair comment to say that, just
a few months ago, not many Hearts supporters expected Sunday's opponents to be
lining up for the Maroon’s first home league game of the season in the SPFL
Championship. Last season’s 15 point deduction and signing embargo imposed on
Hearts following the club’s administration last summer meant the Gorgie Boys
were always hot favourites for relegation. That they went down fighting spoke
volumes for the players and the truly magnificent support whose backing for the
team never wavered and who will be supporting the team in a similarly
impressive manner this season. The Maroon Army had to contend with countless
taunts from supporters of our city rivals towards the end of last season. I was
asked by more than one Hibby if I was going to the final Hibs-Hearts game of
the season at Easter Road – ‘as it would be the last Edinburgh derby for
several years’

I took this on both my chins, of course.
After all, Hearts supporters will never let their Hibernian counterparts forget
what happened in the William Hill Scottish Cup Final of 2012. There were many
Hibbies who saw Hearts relegation as justified comeuppance for the club living
beyond its means, although it’s fair to say this could be applied to many clubs
in Scotland, including Hibs themselves.

However, as last season drew to its
astonishing conclusion, it was evident the Easter Road club were hell-bent on
self-destruction. They required just one win from their final few games to
avoid the relegation play-offs. Even a point in their final game at home to
Kilmarnock would have been enough. Of course, history will relate they didn’t
get it. History will also relate that Hibs took a 2-0 first leg aggregate lead
from their play-off against Hamilton Academical – but still succumbed to the
Accies in their return leg at Easter Road and lost their top-flight status
after a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

There was, naturally, much ribbing from
Hearts supporters to their city counterparts. However, some of my closest
friends, including the fella who will be best man at my wedding next February,
are Hibs fans and I genuinely felt for some of them and the devastation they
undeniably experienced.

Hibs demise against Hamilton Academical
brought to mind Hearts notorious end of the season game against Kilmarnock at
Tynecastle in April 1965. The Maroons were top of the league with the Ayrshire
team in second place. The final game of the season between the two had been
described as a ‘winner-takes-all’ but it wasn’t even that. Hearts just had to
avoid a two goal loss at home to ensure the league title would be heading to
Gorgie after a five year absence. Even a 1-0 defeat would see Hearts win the
league on goal average as was the way of deciding such matters at that time.

Again, history relates that Hearts lost
2-0, thereby handing the league title to Kilmarnock. As if that wasn’t bad
enough, Hearts supporters had to endure similar agonies 21 years later when the
silver-shirted Maroons needed just a draw in their final league game at Dundee
to win the league title. Hearts had been unbeaten since the end of September
and, with just eight minutes remaining at Dens Park and the game still
goalless, the title party was about to begin. Until Dundee substitute Albert
Kidd proceeded to wreck the party by scoring his first two goals of the season…

This afternoon we are about to witness
history. The first ever Edinburgh derby to be played in the second flight of
Scottish league football. In a division which also includes Rangers – if anyone
had suggested this scenario five years ago they would have been carted off for
some medical attention. With just one team assured of automatic promotion, it
does mean that at least one of Scotland’s major clubs will spend a minimum of
two seasons in the second tier of Scottish football. As former Match of the Day
pundit Alan Hansen might say ‘that’s simply unbelievable’

Both clubs now have new managers, a
sprinkling of new players and there is now a powerful and successful woman at
the helm of both Edinburgh clubs. When Hearts lost the league title in 1965,
singer Bob Dylan released a single that still resonates in Edinburgh five
decades later. For Hearts and Hibernian, ‘The Times They are a-Changin’.

Friday, 8 August 2014

This is taken from When Saturday Comes website. It's a short film about football injuries. Chelsea's John Dempsey is interviewed by a young John Stapleton, now a breakfast television stalwart, in the 1970s. You don't see many hair styles like these nowadays...

Saturday, 26 July 2014

After
a season when the club was traumatised by administration and suffered
relegation from the SPFL Premiership as a consequence, Hearts ended their first
competitive fixture of the new season with a comfortable victory over League
Two side Annan Athletic in the first round of the Petrofac Training Cup at
Tynecastle on Saturday.

That
Hearts are in this competition is directly because they are no longer in the top
flight of Scottish football. Thus, they faced Annan Athletic for the first time
and the outcome of the game was never seriously in doubt.

Billy
King was the tormentor in chief in the early stages and he opened the scoring
after just eight minutes with a brilliant effort, dancing past a bewildered
Annan defence before blasting the ball into the net beyond Annan keeper Mitchell.

It
was, as you might expect, mostly one-way traffic towards the Annan Athletic
goal. However, the visitors did have a free-kick from Hopkirk which Hearts
keeper Neil Alexander dealt with comfortably.

After
20 minutes the home side were 2-0 ahead. Dale Carrick flicked a pass towards
Osman Sow and the former Crystal Palace striker used his experience to outfox
an Annan defender before slipping the ball beyond Mitchell from around 16
yards.

Sam
Nicholson was proving a handful for the visitors hard-pressed defence and the
youngster had two efforts on goal, one which went just over the crossbar and
the other which was directly at keeper Mitchell.

Hearts
did get the third goal their play richly deserved just before half-time. Billy
King’s corner from the right was powerfully headed home by Callum Paterson.
Sadly, the right back suffered an injury just before the interval and was
replaced by Jordan McGhee for the second half. Half-time: Hearts 3 Annan
Athletic 0

The
second half followed the same pattern as the first with Sow, King, Carrick,
McHattie and Nicholson all having decent attempts on goal. Credit to Annan
Athletic, though, who worked incredibly hard, particularly in defence, to keep
the Hearts team at bay. There was only one more goal in the second half – but not
at the end most people thought it would be.

In
the final minute Annan substitute Davidson scored with a fine finish which went
beyond Neil Alexander from the edge of the box.

Overall,
it was another decent performance from Hearts and one can see the way Robbie
Neilson wants his young team to play. Possession is the name of the game these
days in Gorgie and the ethos seems to be if the opposition don’t have the ball
then they can’t do you any damage. It’s certainly pleasing on the eye.

With
several new signings it’s going take a little while for this new-look Hearts
team to gel but some of the football they played on Saturday and last Friday
against Manchester City has been delightful. If I’m being picky I could say
that Hearts need to be more ruthless in the opposition penalty box. It could
and indeed should have been 6-1 to the Maroons today. And new recruit Alim
Ozturk will need to be told that the Scottish Championship is not a league
where he will be able to dwell too long on the ball!

Monday, 21 July 2014

Hearts today completed the formal
signing of Osman Sow after the Swedish striker had appeared as a trialist in
some of Hearts pre-seasons friendlies. The 6ft 4” former Crystal Palace player
scored in Hearts 2-1 defeat from English champions Manchester City on Friday
night and has impressed Head Coach Robbie Neilson.

Neilson told the club’s official
website he was delighted to have secured Sow’s services.

‘He’s a tall, athletic player who
will provide a presence to our forward line. He was highly-rated at Crystal
Palace so it’s a real coup to get him’ said Neilson who is rapidly constructing
a new-look Hearts team. Sow also scored against East Fife in another friendly.

Hearts have already signed Turkish
Under 21 defender Alim Ozturk, former Hamilton Accies striker James Keatings, former
Scotland goalkeeper Neil Alexander, ex Rangers goalkeeper Scott Gallacher, striker
Soufian El Hassnaoui and former Dundee United midfielders Morgaro Gomis and
Prince Buaben as they prepare to joust with Rangers and Hibernian for promotion
back to the top flight of Scottish football.

Friday, 18 July 2014

As
pre-season friendlies go, Friday evening’s game between Hearts and FA
Premiership holders Manchester City was a pretty decent effort. The glamour
fixture, arranged to mark the centenary of the main stand at Tynecastle
attracted a crowd of over 12,000 to Gorgie which was a pretty good turnout
considering we’re in the middle of the holiday season.

Hearts had
Neil Alexander, Alim Ozturk, Morgaro Gomis, Prince Buaben and Osman Sow making
their home debuts and all five players impressed, particularly Gomis who
orchestrated things in midfield.

The
English champions weren’t quite at full strength - hardly surprising when you
consider how many of the City squad were playing in the World Cup Finals in
Brazil – but their starting eleven still included the likes of Samir Nasri,
Alvaro Negredo, Micah Richards, Javi Garcia, Jesus Navas and Scott Sinclair,
all of whom have considerable first-team experience.

Hearts
began the game in sprightly fashion with young Sam Nicholson looking
particularly impressive. Sadly, the young winger had to leave the field after
just 15 minutes with what looked like an ankle knock. He was replaced by Billy
King.

City had
the first real opportunity when Nasri got to a cross from Navas but the former
Arsenal playmaker’s effort was saved by Neil Alexander.

Dale Carrick
then had a chance for the home team after he was set up by Jamie Walker and it
took a fine save from Wright to deny the young Jambo.

City took
the lead in the 24th minute. Fine play from the impressive Negredo
set up Sinclair who buried the ball past Neil Alexander to give the visitors
the lead – although there was more than a suspicion of offside in the build-up.
The Manchester side, who were cheered on by around a thousand City fans in the
Roseburn Stand, went in one goal ahead at the interval.

City made
several substitutions at the break but if Hearts thought things would get any
easier they were soon changing their minds when they saw the likes of Kolarov,
Fernando and Rodwell appear for the second half. Nonetheless, it was Hearts who
scored a fine equaliser in the 55th minute. Great possession play by
Dale Carrick set up newcomer Osman Sow and the big centre forward showed fine
composure before easing the ball beyond Caballero. The goal was all the more
impressive when you consider Sow had taken a knock just before this and his
last action before going off was to score Hearts equaliser.

The game looked
like ending in a draw which would have been a fair result. However, with ten
minutes left, Hearts right back Callum Paterson made a rash challenge on Huws
inside the Hearts box to concede a penalty. Kolarov made no mistake with the
spot kick and City held on to win 2-1.

Considering
the quality of the opposition, Hearts Head Coach Robbie Neilson can be pleased
with his team’s showing. Even on this early evidence, it’s clear Hearts will be
contenders for the Championship and promotion back to the Premiership.

Wednesday, 16 July 2014

In the build up to this summer’s FIFA World
Cup in Brazil, the BBC broadcast some official World Cup films from yesteryear.
I didn’t watch the 1966 one, for obvious reasons, but I did catch some of the
official stories of the 1970 and 1974 World Cups. Now those of you who have
read my occasionally inane ramblings in these pages - and I thank you both –
may well be thinking ‘here he goes again, football was so much better when it
was played in black and white etc. etc.’ But bear with me on this.

A good friend of mine – who is even older
than I am – quite often bemoans the fact that the first aim of too many football
teams these days is not to lose. He despairs at the cynicism in the game today,
the diving, the harassment of the officials, and the lack of discipline. Old
Charlie infers that the game was much more of a sport in days of old and that
rampant commercialism and money-making has made football all the poorer. He
might have a point but a look back half a century or more shows these traits
are nothing new.

The 1970 World Cup in Mexico is the first
finals I can recall, being just 8 years old at the time. By this time,
television was making its mark and these finals were the first to be
transmitted by colour television. Brazil, of course, lifted the trophy for the
third time by defeating Italy 4-1 in the final and this game, dominated by
Brazilian superstars such as Pele and Jairzhinho, is seen as the benchmark to
which all football sides should attain. However, as the official FIFA film shows,
cynicism, negativity and indiscipline were rife even during the self-proclaimed
golden era of football.

The gifted Pele, arguably the best player
the world has ever seen, was challenged by an Italian during the final and
performed a dive which wouldn’t have been out of place in the pool for the
Olympic Games held in the same country two years earlier. Pele fell to the
ground clutching his ankle and appeared to be in agony. There seemed to be
minimal contact, a suspicion enhanced moments later when Brazil scored and Pele
bounded across the turf like a gazelle on heat.

Earlier in the finals the Russian team,
concerned by the effects of the baking heat at a midday kick-off, opted to put
those squad members who weren’t playing to line up for the pre-match presentations
to officials prior to the game against hosts Mexico. Thus, those players who
were in action were spared the rather unnecessary long wait in the sun before
kick-off. Then there was the game between the hosts and El Salvador.

Mexico reacted to the apparent award of a
free-kick to El Salvador by kicking the ball away. As El Salvador watched in
bemusement, the referee did nothing, permitting the Mexicans to head up the
park and score the opening goal. Rightly incensed, El Salvador hustled and
bustled the Egyptian referee and even booted the ball out of play from the
kick-off in protest. Mexico went on to win 4-0 and progressed to the quarter
finals. Let’s face it, having the host nation in the knock-out stages would
surely be preferable to having some no-hopers who were in their first ever
World Cup finals…?

You may think a lack of discipline is
recent affliction to the game. Not so. Forty years ago, Scotland headed to the
World Cup finals in what was then West Germany with high hopes. The Scots had qualified
from a group which included Czechoslovakia and Denmark and were on their way to
their first World Cup finals in 16 years. In the build-up to the tournament,
Scotland defeated England - who had failed to qualify for the finals – 2-0 at
Hampden and optimism was again a welcome visitor to Scotland. However, it’s
ne’er do well pal, indiscipline, was never far away. Celtic winger Jimmy
Johnstone got involved in an incident two days before the England game which
saw him cast afloat on a dinghy with only one oar on the Firth of Clyde. Of
course, ‘Jinky’ as he was affectionately known, had imbibed on one too many
alcoholic refreshments. Scotland manager Willie Ormond was under pressure to
drop Johnstone for such indiscipline but played him anyway – and the little
winger proceeded to destroy the English with a masterful display.

However, when Johnstone was involved in
another incident during Scotland’s pre-World Cup friendly against Norway in
Oslo – yet again, alcohol was the temptress – the S.F.A. chiefs made their
feelings clear to manager Ormond. The result was that one of the best players
this country has ever produced didn’t play in the World Cup finals even though
he remained part of the squad. And the Scots went out on goal difference due to
the fact they only defeated Zaire 2-0 – draws against reigning world champions
Brazil and Yugoslavia weren’t enough. Thus, Scotland were the only undefeated
team at the 1974 World Cup – champions West Germany lost a group game to rivals
East Germany – but may have achieved so much more had the squad maintained
their discipline. We can only dream of what Jimmy Johnstone would have done to
Zaire had he been given the chance.

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil was a splendid
tournament. It produced more positives than negatives. Something not every
World Cup finals - even those from the so-called ‘golden age’ – can claim….

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Welcome!

Welcome to what I hope will become an on-going blog about football. As someone who is a keen historian - and who many people will tell you harks back to the old days of the terracings whilst wearing rose-tinted spectacles - the main content of this blog is likely to be a fond recollection of football from a by-gone age. Nonetheless, this won't prevent the odd comment or two about the state of the game today!

Comments are most welcome.

About Me

Author of Hearts 50 Greatest Games, Hearts - The Diary of an Incredible Season and Follow the Hearts. Reporter for The Edinburgh Reporter. Now a fully qualified Hypnotherapist - bookings being taken now...